A look Back and Moving Forward!

Over the Christmas holiday (which has been nothing short of wonderful) have been fortunate to get some good rides in with some very unseasonable temperatures many of the days that I was off work. During some of those rides have thought back on many of the great rides of 2008 that I have enjoyed both riding solo, and also in the company of my friends.

The photo seen here was taken at the 2008 Hog Happenin, which is held in Lincolnton, NC. This event is always a blast (even in 08 when temperatures soared to nearly 100!). A combination motorcycle event/bbq cookoff it always brings in a huge crowd of motorcycles and motorcyclists. In fact, only motorcycles are allowed to park in town. As far as events go, it is always at the top of my list (and that is where it sits for 2009 as well!). I also greatly enjoyed the "ride to the sea" this year with Bill and Ed. In July, the three of us rode our bikes to Wilmington, NC to check out the battleship USS North Carolina, as well as the beaches there. It was a remarkable (and long) day in the saddle; a very fun one day trip which I will long remember. I made also this year a solo trip to the mountains of North Carolina, and rode the remarkable Blue Ridge Parkway which was all decked out in its Fall splender. Riding the Parkway is some of the best riding (I believe) to be found in America. Along with these rides, were many great rides all over the Carolina area. I rode to a number of aviation events to see some historic aircraft including B-17's, a B-24, P-51 Mustangs, and even a Ford Tri-Motor. Of special note was the ride to the Winston-Salem Air Show. That event has not been held for a few years, and was quite remarkable and a fantastic time. I also have that on my list for 2009.

2009 will be a most interesting year for me though. I will be working in Richmond, VA (due to a job transfer) while still keeping my house here in Concord, NC. So I will be in two worlds. This site is going to be mostly "about" motorcycling, for the bike will remain here in the Carolinas where I will ride it on weekends and on vacation. However, I plan to explore motorcycling in Virginia as well, and will bring some of the sights to be found there. I hope to attend the motorcycle races at VIR in 2009, and am looking forward to that. I also expect to hit some great and interesting events here. It ought to be a very interesting year.

A quick note as I close my posts for 2008. Got a very nice Christmas present among many; the Kawasaki Service Manual for my bike. This will be especially helpful for many of the service projects I have planned. I do much of the work on my bike (and with shop costs locally of some $75 an hour, that list is growing) and enjoy working on the bike. I am also blessed in that the bike is stone cold reliable, but maintenance to prevent problems is a big part of that reliability. If you do not have a good service manual for your bike, I strongly suggest you get one. Much of the work is easier then you might expect, and it is always a lot of fun and a great idea to keep your bike maintained.

Looking forward to a very, very interesting and different 2009. As always ride safe!

The Bikes of Concord...and beyond

Interesting day today, spent some time with a good friend, and a former riding buddy at that. We share a passion for guitars and motorcycles (he though does not still ride, while I still do), but on a cold December 22nd day we headed out in his truck to Matthews Fun Machine in (of all places) Matthews, NC. Amazingly I have not been there all these years, but did enjoy the visit. A nice motorcycle shop with an interesting bunch of motorcycles. They had some Aprilia, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha (and Star), as well as some other interesting brands. The motorcycle at left is the rather new Star 1300. I had not seen one in person, and liked this bike a great deal. It is watercooled, with a belt drive, and of course a V-Twin engine. Yamaha is doing quite a bit with the Star line, some very interesting motorcycles in that brand.

Outside I saw the Can-Am Spyder. Very interesting machine (can't really call it a bike) and its certainly a different sort of "trike". It is powered also by a v-twin of 990cc's made by Rotax (known for making aircraft engines, but also engines for Aprilia and BMW) the machine is totally unconventional. I have seen one in operation, and seems like it would be a great deal of fun.It looks to be a very unique ride, and I believe they sell in the $14,000 range.

Greatly enjoyed the visit to the dealership, friendly people without being pushy, seems to have a large service department, and was a nice place to visit. I think I will be returning to Matthews Fun Machine.

On Sunday, Patty and I went out to breakfast at Punchy's Diner. Kind of an interesting Carolina thing, many of the places to eat here have displays of cars, and a few (such as Punchy's) have motorcycles from time to time. The photo below was taken at Punchy's which is a good place to eat. I like the food there, as well as the sights in the area.

Punchy's is also motorcycle friendly and many of us often gather there either for a meal before, or after a ride. They do change the displays from time to time, and fun to see some of the motorcycles they have on display.

Speaking of motorcycles, did read today that the Honda Hoot for 2009 has been cancelled (another loss from the economy of late). For the last few years it has been held in the Knoxville, TN area, though just a few years ago it was held in Asheville, NC. I hope this event returns soon, it was a fun gathering, and a well put on event. While a Honda event, anyone riding was welcome to attend.

Once again, Merry Christmas to all of you, and best wishes for a Happy 2009!

Toy Run ! (November 23,2008)

A really neat day today, went on the 6th Annual Speedway Harley-Davidson Toy Run. As you can see from the photos, nice clear sky, though the temperature was only 55 today. However, that did not stop a crowd estimated at 400 motorcycles from going on the ride. I was there with my Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic, and people were friendly which is always nice. Actually, have never had any real problems with any of the Harley crowd (although a few comments from time to time do come out) but overall a good bunch. The ride was really neat, kicked off at 1pm on the dot. The sound of 400 motorcycles firing up is really a beautiful noise. We headed out under police escort, and they did a fantastic job. In fact they had a really good ride; they got to shoot past us from time to time to block intersections. We never had to stop the entire ride. Most of the ride was on backroads and there were motorcycles as far as you could see. I was somewhere around the middle, with a long line in front of me, and a long line of headlights behind me. As far as I know there were few problems during the ride. I did hear of a bike going down, and a possible broken wrist, and also word of a flat tire. Of the latter, did hear a chase vehicle picked him up. We also rode through Mt. Pleasant, Concord, and Harrisburg. We ended up at Speedway Harley-Davidson. We piled up all the presents, and had barbecue from R+R Barbecue .

This was the largest (in terms of numbers of motorcycles) ride I have ever been on. I think everyone involved from the police, to the people who put on the ride did an outstanding job. The route was fun and interesting, and enjoyed it a great deal. It is also great to be able to do something for the kids out there, and I am sure there will be a lot of smiles this holiday season from the gifts the local motorcycle community left for them. Getting to do this ride was a real treat!

Fire in the Sky

In my last post I wrote some about fall rides, have been on couple over the last few days. For sure the fall colors in the trees are fading as the leaves are falling to the ground now. We had a few days of rain this week, and cold is more of a factor. However, today after some Saturday work, got out on the bike. As I noted (also in the last post) early in the ride had a truck with trailer turn in front of me, but I was watching for him and was not even a close call (shocked him though) thanks to that. This time of year, its especially important to watch out for the other guy. At any case, through the leaves have changed, I did see this sunset and finally found a place to pull over and catch it. Even though the 70s today were quickly falling as the sun went down, was sure worth a little cool riding to get this photo. A few bikes were out today, and one was pulled over. I pulled over to make sure he was ok; found he was just changing goggles from smoke to clear. He did thank me for stopping though, and I felt good that I did. You never know when someone could need help, and of course, you never know when it could be you in that position.
A co-worker this week ordered the V-Max he is wanting. A fine motorcycle, and sure to be a lot of fun. My only concern is that it is his first motorcycle, and might be a real handful to learn the art of survival on the road. I wrote some comments in an earlier three part section called "So you want to ride a motorcycle?" in some earlier posts. I don't think many people who do not ride really understand that sport bikes (as well as many other types) give a whole new meaning to the terms "quick and fast". Too often, new riders get more motorcycle then they really understand. Just this year, a friend of my wife's son got a brand new Kawasaki ZX-12 Ninja which he enjoyed for an entire day before having the crash that killed him. Apparently he went off the road. Lots of benefits to taking a riding class, and is my strongest suggestion to both the new rider, as well as the returning rider. The idea of having a motorcycle is to have a history of great rides, not to make an early exit from the planet. Before you get the bike, get the training. Odds are stacked against you on a motorcycle in an accident, there are tools out there to help you to even the odds.
All that said, have really enjoyed some great riding these past few weeks. There are few seasons I enjoy as much as fall, and this one was really great for colors. The ride to the mountains, and the rides around here have all been remarkable experiences. A great thing about riding in the Carolinas is that though we have some cool (if not down right cold days) we also have some serious bouts of warmer weather (relatively speaking). It is not only possible, but generally pretty easy with the right clothing, to ride the Carolinas all year long. I know...I have done it ever since I have been down here (and that is over a 10 year period).
Where ever you ride, ride safely.

Collings Foundation Aircraft Ride (November 1, 2008)

A good day on the motorcycle, up early this morning on what was a warmer day, and rode out to Concord Regional Airport. Of late, it seems that it has been warbird and classic aircraft central with visits this year by another B-17 and also a Ford Tri-Motor. I am a huge fan of aircraft of virtually all types, and enjoy seeing them up close when I can. The Collings Foundation flew in three WWII classics, and I got to see them today. At Left is a TP-51C Mustang. Interesting and rare version of this fighter, as it is a duel control version (can be flown from the front or rear seat) and also is a C version (most flown today are D's).

The second plane seen here is a Consolidated B-24J Liberator. It has four engines, and the type was flown during WWII over many of the cities of Europe, and also saw action against Japan. The plane was actually in many cases a better aircraft than the more famous B-17 but is the lesser known of the two. It was said to be a difficult plane to fly. Like the B-17 it has a lot of machine guns for protection and also depended on escort aircraft like the P-51 to protect it from German and Japanese fighters. However, many were shot down by enemy aircraft, as well as from ground gunners who shot at the aircraft.

The plane at left is the famous Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. It is one of the most famous aircraft of WWII. The B-17 was famous for the bombing of Germany, but also was used against Japan. In fact the raid on Pearl Harbor was picked up on radar but was thought to be a flight of B-17's which were expected that morning. The B-17 was known as a rugged aircraft and could take a lot of punishment. However, like the B-24 and other planes, it was relatively light weight with little or no armor, and could be easily shot down if hit in the right places. Like the B-24 it was unpressurized and unheated; crews had to breathe bottled oxygen in the cold of the upper air, being careful not to touch metal with bare hands (if they did they would stick to the metal). Thousands gave their lives in these aircraft, in actions that can only really be imagined today. I did enjoy seeing these aircraft today, and gave a bit of thanks for what those who served in planes like these gave in our defense.

After the aircraft tours, I wandered for a bit around Concord and Kannapolis. It had been cool this week (below freezing in the AM, warmer in the afternoon to around 60) but today it got up to 70. I was riding in the cool (feeling only slightly like a bomber pilot in a leather jacket and gloves, but well above freezing and sub freezing of that periods flying) but it rose fairly quickly. Starting to see the full colors of fall locally, including some vivid reds. As always enjoyed the ride on the bike, traffic in the early mornings (North Carolina I have noted tends to sleep in on Saturday, a habit I have taken advantage of on a few rides) was light, and it was a very good ride. I did not cover a lot of distance today, but it was a very enjoyable cruise nonetheless.

Not a great deal of motorcycle news of late. I did enjoy some viewing(s) of Wild Hogs on the tv (Starz has been showing it again), and also got in a new issue of Motorcyclist. I am not renewing that magazine though, but will be keeping my AMA membership and that magazine which comes with the membership.

I will be getting in some riding this week after work (and perhaps to work tomorow as I am working Sunday) this week. Next week will be driving to Richmond, VA with my wife Patty to explore that area. Going to be an interesting weekend coming up.

Blowing Rock/The Blue Ridge Parkway (October 20, 2008)

A most remarkable day in many ways. Started out with a call this morning that offered me a job transfer to Richmond , VA (which I accepted). Though my bike will remain here in North Carolina (to be ridden on visits back to my house) I will be covering both those rides and motorcycling (though not as a rider there) in Virginia as well. It ought to be interesting. However, after that news, I got on the motorcycle (being on vacation) and rode to Blowing Rock at 10am on a beautiful if cool day.
I got to Blowing Rock after a bit over two hours of riding. It was pretty crowded there as the leaves were at peak in the mountains. I went via NC 77 and up NC321. Traffic was not bad, and though they are still working on 321 (which is a year behind schedule) it was in better shape than last year. I got the photo of the bikers riding in Blowing Rock while in town. I also got a little turned around, and ended up off the Parkway. However after a short ride via a nice mountain highway (which I believe was 105) I got back on the Parkway at Linville near Grandfather Mountain. I rode on it from there toward Blowing Rock.
I took the photo of the coffin trailer while on the Parkway. Thought it was warmer than the ride last year. Traffic though (being a Monday) was not bad, and the ride was pretty remarkable along its length. I don't think there is a more remarkable road to ride in North Carolina (though must admit I have yet to ride The Dragon). Had a great time up there. Saw a wide range of colors and met a lot of interesting people both on two wheels (as was this group of Christian bikers) and four. I really enjoyed the curves, and the road condition was excellent. It was one of the best rides of the year.


All too soon, I had to head back from views such as this! Headed back into Blowing Rock, and down NC321. I was concerned about the rush hour traffic, but other then a little slow going in Hickory, NC and again in Mooresville it was not bad at all. I got back to my driveway at just before 6pm, having covered some 255 miles in the course of the day. I have been on many trips to the Parkway, and have enjoyed them all, but I have to say this was among the best. I rode solo today, but considering the impact of the phone call this morning early, it gave me some time to pause and reflect on what I have been through in the past and to wonder about the future to come. Life is full of adventure, and this will be another chapter in that adventure. I look forward to the days to come. Be watching here for more on motorcycling in both North Carolina and (starting in February 09) in Virginia as well!

Ride to Lowe's Motor Speedway

Always enjoy riding the motorcycle, and today was a very good day. Today, rode out to Lowe's Motor Speedway to see the events going on prior to tonight's Bank of America 500. Going early they had just a few things going on, a very light crowds, so it was nice to wander around. I don't live but a few miles from the track, so it was a short drive. Sure a lot of cool things to see though. Like the cars, the displays, the trailers filled with driver items (shirts, hats, etc), and of course a lot of tv people around. I make one of the races every year; earlier this year I was at the All-Star Race, which was a great time, and enjoyed it a great deal.

After a while there, went for a short ride. Certainly a nice day, humidity is gone (hopefully for the year) and even seeing some of the leaves falling around the area. I am told that fall colors are pretty close to peak in the mountains, and a ride there is part of my plan for the vacation week which is coming up starting October 20.

There has been a lot of bad stuff going on lately; a bad accident to a worker in my area on b-shift, the fact the plant is closing in the next year or so, the stock market and the economy tanking. However, a fine fall day, out on the roads of Concord, blue skies, and the breeze from my motorcycle put a big smile on my face today. I hope you have some great rides as well!

Finally, fuel (and some updates)

Took a ride last Sunday, for the first time in something like two weeks. Combination of two things kept me off the bike. First was either a light flu, or a bad cold, but it really made motorcycling out of the question for a few days. I guess it came at a good time (if there is ever a good time for something like that) as due to Hurricane Ike, fuel was in very short supply. It was wild, no premium (and the Vulcan does not like lower grades of fuel at all, as I found out once by mistake) and very little regular. Some 80% of the stations were out of gas, some for a long time. Long lines, short tempers (some fights, even some guns pulled)......a real mess. Still some stations are out of some brands, and prices are among the highest in the nation (just in time to hammer the visitors here this weekend for the NASCAR race this weekend). I hope to get out to see some of the things going on around the racetrack; usually a lot of cool things to see sometime this weekend. Rain expected for the next few days here, but the weekend is supposed to be nice. We shall see.
Little bits of news here and there on the new bikes coming out (for those who have credit and could get one, the few, the proud, the rich!). I did see that Honda is going to bring the DN-01 to America, came out in Japan last year. Sporty looking bike, has a 650cc (or so) engine, and an automatic transmission. Its not the first motorcycle to have that, but considering that Honda is doing it, sure to have a lot of interest. Its a bit on the pricy side (around $14,000) but an interesting looking motorcycle which you can see on the Honda web site.
Other than Harley's not a lot of the 2009 motorcycles here yet (though a few of the older designs such as my Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 which returns for 2009) are in the dealers. I had hoped to make it to the HD open house in Salisbury, but had to work that Saturday. I will be checking out some of the new 2009 Harley's; they seem to get them out first, and the rest follow. I am also looking forward to seeing the new Triumph Thunderbird, a big cruiser with a big engine, and its a vertical (not a V) twin motor.
Read that the Myrtle Beach Fall Rally went ok; though there was one death there in a traffic accident. There were also a few protest rides over the restrictions (some were tested at the fall rally) being planned for the bigger rallies next year. Will certainly be worth following how it all goes, with the state of the economy, will be interesting to see how happy Myrtle Beach is about driving away people who want to spend money in their town.
As for me, will be doing some riding this weekend around the race track area; hope to get a few photos of that, and will try to get a good one for my next post. Race weeks are always a lot of fun, and have a lot of things going on here in the Concord area. Also coming up is a week of October vacation, and hopefully a ride to the high country to see some fall color. Did a ride last summer to the beach (Wilmington, with some friends) but looking forward to getting back to the mountains. Its a remarkable area to ride and always enjoy my visits up there.

Indian Motorcycle Open House and New Dealer Opening

A bit of late news, but I just found it out today. I got this information from the Indian Motorcycle Web Site, which you can see by Googling (of course) "indian motorcycle". The brand is making its return this year with the 2009 Indian Chief which is a re-designed version of the last offering though "under new ownership". The motorcycles are being built in the new factory in Kings Mountain, NC....which is located pretty close to the South Carolina/North Carolina border. I have done some riding in that area having visited the Revolutionary War battlefield located in that area last year.
Saturday October 4, the day will start at the new factory at 116 Battleground Road at Kings Mountain, NC. Tours will be offered of the factory, and this will be to my knowledge the first time the public has been inside. There will then be a ride to the new (and first in the US) dealership which will leave around 12:30. Live music will start around 1:00 pm at the dealership, which is really first rate from the photo I have seen (again at the web site). The event is scheduled to run until 7:00 pm.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to make the event; for one thing I am working from 7am-3pm, and for another (see previous post) can't be sure to have enough gasoline to get there and back, or to be able to find any. The fuel situation in Charlotte remains pretty tight at this time. However, I am planning to ride out to see the new dealership and the factory, and (hopefully) we will eventually have fuel again. If you are in the area though and have the gas, drop by and see what they have to offer. If you can't make the event this Saturday, be sure to check out theIndian Motorcycle web site; its got some interesting things to see there.

Charlotte-The Search For Fuel

Very interesting problem of late in the entire Southeast. A few weeks ago, Hurricane Ike smashed into Texas. The pipeline that supplies this area, and the refineries that feed it, all were shut down, and have been slow coming up. About two weeks ago supplies here got thin, and then all hell broke loose. Even as of this date, some 80% of gas stations (on average) are out of gas. Those that have gas usually only have regular (the motorcycle requires super premium and does not like regular AT ALL as I found once by putting some in by mistake) and little of that. Many cars and bikes in lines often find the station runs out before they get gas. Its been quite a mess and not just in Charlotte; most cities in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee have had fuel problems. We are also paying higher than the national average for gas. This problem is expected to continue for the next couple of weeks.
Thanks to overtime of late (heavy), some rain, and a cold that hit me a few days ago, I still have 1/2 a tank of "the good stuff" in the bike; hope to use some of that this weekend. However, transportation of any sort in the area requires careful planning. Some people have even camped out at gas stations waiting for the fuel trucks to arrive.
Next week of course is the Fall Rally at Myrtle Beach. Hopefully fuel will not be a problem, but they are planning to test some of the new regulations designed to stop the future rallies. There is word of noise checkpoints. They also have plans to try to have helmet laws in Myrtle Beach, and also enforce new loitering laws at future rallies.Considering that the Hard Rock Park there closed due to lack of customers, and the country is in recession, you would think that people wanting to come and spend money would be a good thing. Got to admire Myrtle Beach who does not seem to need it; I am sure that other beach towns in North Carolina will be looking to bring them there. For instance, though not a beach, did note that the Mt. Airy, North Carolina town web site is very biker friendly, and even has some suggested rides for motorcyclists in the area. Have been there, a great town, and a beautiful area.
Lots of interesting new motorcycles coming out. Saw today that Suzuki has a new one, the M-90, much like the M-109 but with a smaller (around 1500cc) engine. Star also has the V-Star 950 coming out, and of course the new Star V-Max (a real update of that classic motorcycle, and a major remake), and Kawasaki has a new Vulcan 1700 coming out as well. Sure to be a lot more.
Of course the credit problems are cutting into motorcycle sales, especially for bigger bikes. Harley-Davidson sales have been down from 10.2%, and they have been cutting production a great deal to cut inventory. In fact I read that in 1998 cruisers made up some 50% of the market in the US, with scooters at 5%. This year, cruisers are down to 37% of the market, and scooters are up to 19%. Fuel, and the cost of the big bikes are big factors.
Sure to be a lot of interesting developments in motorcycling over the next few months, with a lot of new bikes and new versions of old favorites coming out. Sure to be a lot of interesting news in the coming weeks. I also hope to have news of some good rides soon; oil companies willing anyhow!

Riding in the Rain

Got an e-mail from a friend this week, telling me about a motorcycle crash in Louisville. It happened when the rider rode into a storm (happened to be in Louisville, Kentucky, my old home town) and crashed on the wet roads. He suffered severe injuries, the bike took heavy damage, and he is still (and will be for some time) in the hospital, and in recovery.
I have been riding for many years, and let me tell you...rain happens. I also have some good advice.
1). When you come upon rain, if you have rain gear, pull over and put it on. If you expect rain (clouds or the forecast calls for it) be dressed for it.
2) If it is raining, slow down, and then slow down some more. Speed is not your friend on wet roads.
3) Especially early, try to stay off of, and keep from crossing, the oil trail that runs down the center of each lane of (virtually) every road. Especially early on this mixture of motor oil, transmission fluid and antifreeze is deadly slick.
4) More than anything else, if the rain is especially severe, and you are at all uncomfortable, find a place to pull off and wait it out. Find a place with food, a mall, or if all else fails even a highway overpass and wait the storm out. Better to get to where you want to go later than you planned, than not to get there at all.
Rain is nothing to take lightly. I often change my motorcycle plans due to forecasts, or have called a planned ride early due to gathering clouds. Be especially careful around thunderstorms as they have special and deadly dangers including electricity, hail and high winds. Ride with safety foremost in your mind always!

Winston-Salem Air Show (September 7, 2008)

Sunday, September 7 at 10am, I (after a fuel stop) rode out to the Winston-Salem Air Show at Smith-Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The show was always one of my favorite events, and I had not been to it for a couple of years. However, since it had not been held during that time, it was not my fault! So I rolled out getting on I-85. For a Sunday morning, it was pretty busy; and nothing sucks like traffic on a highway on a motorcycle. However it got better when I turned off to NC-52 which took me into Winston-Salem, and to the exit to the airport. That was a pleasant ride with less traffic.
Getting into the airport grounds at 11am, the traffic was pretty heavy. I parked with a group of motorcycles on the very hard (and thankfully very dry ground). The airport is an old design and worth seeing in its own right; sort of an Art Deco design. Though very hot and humid, I wandered around the grounds. I saw the plane you see here (a PBY Catalina from World War II). The PBY was neat because the last one I saw was the remains of one wrecked in the 1940's on the island of Diego Garcia. I saw that in the 1970s back in my Navy days. There were a number of interesting planes, commercial, military, private, and performing aircraft. The air show was really great, fun to see the pilots play havoc with the laws of gravity. Big highlight for me was the flyover by a pair of F-22 Raptor flighters. All in all I spent three hours there. Was glad to see the show back, also was pleased that the crowd was large and happy. I have always been a great fan of aviation, in fact feel that motorcycling is a great deal like flying (and have found that many pilots agree with that statement) though as I like to say, though conducted at a lower level.
I left the air show around 2pm and rode into downtown Winston-Salem which was nearby. I used to make the show on a Saturday, but found that on a Sunday its still pretty deserted. Its a neat downtown (both clean wise and in an interesting sort of way) with a lot of interesting buildings and of course churches.
I rode on through town, and came across Old Salem. Old Salem is a collection of old restored buildings. You can pay to go through them, or walk the streets for free (I chose the free walk) but liked wandering around that area. Its right off the downtown, and is worth a visit.
I got back on NC-52, but took a detour to go though Welcome, NC which was on the route home. Welcome, NC is the location of Richard Childress Racing (RCR) and though it was closed stopped to get a photo of the buildings. RCR is a really good museum with quite a collection of many race cars, including many driven by Dale Earnhardt. I have been through the museum on a previous visit.
I rode back onto NC-52, and merged after a while onto I-85. Not for long though, cause again the traffic on I-85 was bad, and frankly in my opinion highways suck! I got on NC-29 and rolled through Spencer, NC and stopped at Salisbury, NC (both are some of my favorite towns). Took a little walk in Salisbury, also stopped for fuel and a coke. I rolled on down NC-29 into Concord, which is a much more scenic route, and a lot more fun to ride.
The only city I missed that I wanted to see was Lexington, NC which is the home of some really great barbecue, but will be back there in October for their festival, and will see it then. Figured after 141 miles of riding, the airshow, and a few stops on the way back, that was enough for one day, as I rolled into the driveway of my house at 5pm.

So you want to ride a motorcycle? (Part 3)

So, lets say you have had that motorcycle class I have been pushing in previous posts, and you are ready to ride, and own, your first motorcycle. As I noted in #2 of this series, there is some danger in getting the baddest bike on the market right off the bat. Many people (myself included) started riding on smaller bikes. I first rode a Kawasaki 100, went to a Yamaha 350, then (in the Navy) to a Suzuki 400, up to a Honda 550, then a Honda 600, and only in the last couple of years to a Kawasaki 1500. Is the bigger bike more fun than the others cause its bigger? No, its certainly comfortable, but not all that different than the others; and even less fun in some respects. Smaller bikes are quick handling, and fun on the really curvy roads. There are pluses and minuses.
That said there are a lot of good motorcycles out there. Be sure to check out some of the "commuter" bikes (for instance Kawasaki has the Vulcan 500 and the Versys), Honda has a lot of great models (some of the smaller Shadows and of course the 250 which if you take a motorcycle class you may train on!), Suzuki has a lot of good smaller bikes including the very highly regarded SV-650. The motorcycle magazines rave about that bike as being good for both beginners and experienced motorcyclists. What they like about it is a good balance of power and weight, also ease of maintenance with good handling. I don't think I have ever read a bad review of that bike. Even Ducati has a good starter bike, the Monster line has a highly regarded little brother. Sport bikes also come in smaller sizes, a good benefit of those is that they can also be cheaper to insure than their faster (and much more powerful) brothers.
I guess what I am trying to say is that bigger is not only not often better, but frankly can be a really bad idea for the beginning motorcyclist. What is important is that the bike fits your needs. If you plan to do a lot of highway riding you need a bike that can handle highway speeds, but that covers a lot of motorcycles; many of the 500's and 600's will run all day at highway speed. The lighter weight and lower horsepower of the smaller bikes can save you a lot of money (often as well consider that bigger bikes often require super unleaded gas), as well as be "more user friendly" to the new rider due to the lower weight, and somewhat slower 0-60 times over their bigger brothers.
Remember the best part of riding is getting back to tell stories of the ride; not the quickest trip to the hospital. Ride to live, live to ride as the slogan goes.

Motorcycle Maintenance

Been a great Labor Day weekend; got on a few "honey-do's" and also got some good riding in. All the rides have been local, did not have a great many miles to ride, as the oil change was due within 100 miles. I like to stick to the schedule. of note though I did go to the Concord Regional Airport (twice in fact) to see this 1929 Ford Tri-Motor which was visiting here. Great aircraft, and I am quite an aircraft fan. Plus, good example of how things can last if you maintain them. I worked with aircraft (in the Navy) for a number of years, and learned the importance of maintaining your vehicle.

Maintenance is important both from a safety standpoint, also to make your bike last longer. I like doing it myself; for one thing I know it was done right, and for the other its a lot cheaper as well as faster. Bike shops during the riding season can get really backed up, and its a lot faster to do as much of the work as you can on your own. Lots of good manuals out there to get instruction, even a few web sites. A few tools and other items can save you hundreds both in labor costs, but by doing the work also in repairs.

My work was to change the spark plugs (my Vulcan has four), the oil and filter, and also the rear gear oil. I had had a idle problem of late I thought was the plugs, but turned out to be a simple adjustment later on. Still new plugs really make the motorcycle purr like a kitten. As they get worn the bike tends to run rougher. New oil is also good for the engine, and I will be set for a while thanks to all that work. Wanted to get that done as it was due, and I am looking forward to the ride to the mountains pretty soon. Coming up next though is the ride to the Winst0n-Salem Air Show (weather permitting especially with the hurricanes threatening this area) which I am looking forward to on Saturday or Sunday.

NC Transportation Museum, Spencer, North Carolina

One of my favorite area rides is to the NC Transportation Museum which is in Spencer, North Carolina, right next to Salisbury (in fact they run together with nothing but a city sign between them. You can get there via I-85 (there is an museum sign at I believe Exit 79), but I enjoy a better route.

Off of NC-3 in Concord I ride to Old Concord-Salisbury Road. Its a scenic and nicely curved two lane back road past some fine fields, and with little traffic. I stay on that road which curves (but follow it around). It will cross over a major road (believe that is Jake Alexander) with a resturant called "The Farmhouse" (great place for breakfast, and you will probably see a few motorcycles out there). Going a little further you will see the National Cemetary on your right. That was at the site of a Confederate Prison which was near there. It is worth a stop, they have the trenches were the Union soldiers were buried who died in the prison; estimates vary from some 8000-11,000. There are also soldiers buried there from various wars. Some state memorials are also there as well. Nothing of the prison remains to be seen; I believe it was burned to the ground when the Union Army came to Salisbury near the end of the Civil War. At the cemetary, or going just past it, turn left up one of the side streets to Salisbury Avenue, and there you turn right. Going on that road you will be in the old downtown. The buildings are very interesting, and just past downtown are some beautiful old houses. You should within a mile or two cross into Spencer; the NC Transportation Museum will be on your right and you can not miss it. You will find the gate to turn in just past the big buildings on your right.

The NC Transportation Museum was a train repair depot for many years, and was turned over to the state. There is no admission charge (free is always good), and they have a large round house, a nice display of trains there (steam engines, and electric diesels), an interesting car display, a few planes, and (of course) a few motorcycles. Some of those can be seen in the photo above. Its not a big collection, but worth a look.They also often have special events there, which are posted on the web site (which you can find via Googling "NC Transportation Museum"). One of the bike show's that I mentioned in my previous post was held there earlier this year.

Other points of interest in Salisbury include Tilley Harley-Davidson, and it is also a great return ride toward Concord via Bringle Ferry Road which takes you past High Rock Lake. A stop at Tamerac Marina for a quick snack and a beverage is always a nice pause. Bringle Ferry Road is another curvy two-lane road. Taking it all the way to its end will take you to Highway 8, turn right a short distance and then you will at the intersection with NC-49. At that intersection take a right and follow that back to Concord, NC. The museum, and the cities of Salisbury and Spencer are worth spending some time in, and is a popular ride which I take often solo or ride with my friends.

Classic Bike Shows

You know, this photo makes a good point. Its a Honda VT500 Ascot, around the 1980's, and is in beautiful condition. Classic design with a V twin engine, though was not made very long by Honda. I looked at this bike at a Classic Motorcycle Show in Salisbury, NC on May 17, 2008. Right behind it is a 1970's era Suzuki Titan 500; one of the great two-cycle motorcycles of that era.
Classic bike shows are a great way to see the past, and even to a degree the future of motorcycles. You can not really know where you are going, if you don't know where you began. Many motorcycle companies have an amazing history. Many brands from the past are no longer made; and some of the old manufacturers have been made a long time. This year Harley-Davidson is 105 years old, but Triumph is celebrating 106 years, and a manufacturer called Royal Enfield has been making motorcycles since 1901!
Classic shows can celebrate all brands, or a specific brand. For instance the Salisbury show had NO Harley's on hand, but it was mostly Japanese and European motorcycles. Many of them looked just as I remembered, right off the assembly line in many cases, while others showed they had been ridden (and many were ridden in).
On June 28th, I rode out to Gold Hill, NC for the 2nd Classic Motorcycle Show. There the bikes were mostly Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles. Many of them were in remarkable shape, and most were in running condition. It was fun to hang out with the owners of the bikes, riders of other motorcycles (most of us who came, came on two wheels), and to see what has led to the bikes of today. Some of the motorcycles were amazing for the time, and a few of them would hold up well against the bikes of today. Some have concepts and designs that are being re-explored in today's motorcycles.
Not only can you see classic motorcycles at bike shows, but many locations have motorcycle museums. We are blessed with two good ones in North Carolina, one which sadly will be closing, and another which has been updated since my last visit. I will be rolling there in the next few weeks, and will cover that in an upcoming post to the blog.

Lincolnton Hog Happenin (June 7, 2008)

Nope the spelling is right, it was the "Hog Happenin" which was held in Lincolnton, NC on June 7, 2008. I have been to a number of them over the last few years. It is one of my favorite events in the region, since I found out about it a few years ago. I go every year, and have been blessed with very good weather (though a few really overcast ones did not look real good at the time, but turned out ok). Started going with the Honda VLX 600 Shadow, and have been riding the Vulcan there the last few years. In fact, it was one of the first things I did with the bike which I got on June 1, 2005.

The Hog Happenin is a fun event. Lincolnton closes the town square to all cars, and only motorcycles are allowed in. This year I rode up with Ed and Steve from Concord, NC. Its a pretty good ride up NC-73. Steve thought Huntersville would be packed with traffic, but I told him NC does not get up that early (and I was right) so we rolled through there. Got to Lincolnton around 10:30 and they had a really good crowd. That was suprising cause this year the temperature was in the upper 90's! Had to be the warmest one I have been too, but a good crowd was on hand.

In addition to the motorcycles, it is also a barbeque cookoff. There are a number of places selling some of the best barbeque you will find this side of Lexington, NC. To be sure barbeque is a different thing than it was in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. For one thing it is cooked without sauce on it (you add that either a tomato based or vinegar sauce), and is often topped with slaw. To me, slaw used to be a side dish, but its a popular topping for hamburgers, hot dogs and barbeque. It does grow on you though. They also had a beer tent, bands playing (under some blazing sun, no cover for them which was a bad oversight), and some remarkable bikes. In fact they have bike games, a poker run, and all sorts of vendors on hand. The crowd (due to the heat) was down a little, but still quite a few hundred bikes on hand.

We took the long way back, went a round about route (cause by afternoon Huntersville probably was bumper to bumper traffic) which took us through some interesting towns and out by the US Whitewater Center in Charlotte. If you have never been, and are in the area in early June, its a worthwhile stop to make with some fun people, good food, and nice music (hopefully a bit cooler in 2009!). You can be sure though that I will be there! To find more info Google "Hog Happenin" to check out the web site that Lincolnton has put up. Currently much of the info is about last years event, but they will have 2009 info up in a few months.

So you want to ride a motorcycle? (Part 2)

Some sad news today; my wife has a friend who lost her son to a motorcycle crash on Sunday. Apparently he got the bike on Saturday, and Sunday morning lost control of the bike on a curve, and hit a telephone pole, killing him instantly.
This goes back to what I was talking about in an earlier post. The very first thing one should get is training on operating a motorcycle safely. As I noted the classes can well save your life, they also can save on your insurance costs.
I have been talking to a new "want to be" rider at work who is planning to buy his first bike: the new 2009 Star V-Max. As I have told him, that is probably not the best selection for a beginning (or long away from riding) motorcyclist. For that matter, it may be a bad choice for the somewhat experienced rider. Not because its a bad bike, but rather because it has performance that will come faster than you might believe.
The trick with riding a motorcycle is not to blast down roads at triple digit speeds; the trick to me is a to enjoy the ride, visit new places, and most importantly come home to tell about them. Evading cops, getting tickets (and higher insurance), or even worse....medical bills from crashes tends to suck all the fun out of riding.
Plus, there are so many good motorcycles that give (1) great fuel mileage (2) lower maintenance costs and (3) react with a lot less quickness that make riding a lot more fun. Getting way over your head is a great way to lose it.
So, get the training first. Get the best protective gear you can afford, and use it. Slow down and enjoy the sensation and the scenery instead of blasting though it. If you want to go fast, get to a race track. Many of them have "track days" for motorcycles, and even there you can get training on how to ride at higher speeds if that is your wish.
Getting hurt sure tends to suck the fun out of a good day riding!

Riding North Carolina (An Overview)

For the last 10 years, I have been riding my motorcycle(s) in North Carolina. For the first seven years, the Honda VLX 600 Shadow, for the last three the Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic. I can honestly say I have enjoyed each mile, for this is one of the most beautiful and interesting states I have had the joy of riding in. With fall, which is one of the best seasons to ride due to the beauty to be found here, coming up there are sure to be some specific posts of some interesting rides.
Fall is the time for great mountain rides. Riding in the cool air, under the multi-colored trees is filled with a number of "oh wow" moments. I can not say enough about riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is nothing short of a national treasure. With a number of places to pull off to see the remarkable scenery, it is nothing short of remarkable. There are also a number of towns to be found among its length such as Blowing Rock, Asheville, and many more which are interesting places to explore in and of themselves.
There are sometimes direct (aka highways) to various destinations, but sometimes not. That is often a good thing. To be honest, drivers in North Carolina tend to drive pretty fast. It is not uncommon to be passed by a car going much faster than you. The driver is more times than not glued to his or her cell phone, lost in conversation. Traffic at times can be pretty heavy as well. Times happen when the shortest distance between two points is via the highway, but even though fast, its not often the best way to get to a place. In fact, often its not even a possible way. For instance, to get to the Outer Banks, or to Myrtle Beach for instance, there is NO direct highway route.
To get to those places, as well as many others there are a number of backroads. North Carolina Routes such as NC-73, NC-29, NC-49, NC-52 (among many others) are usually two or four lane roads that pass through some beautiful scenery, interesting towns, and past amazing sights. If you ride in North Carolina, I would suggest you seek those routes out; you will be glad you did.
Some of the larger cities can be very interesting. I enjoy riding around Charlotte which is going through some amazing changes, interesting growth and has a lot to offer. I have also enjoyed Asheville, Winston-Salem and Greensboro. There are some remarkable things to find in those areas.
Also of special note are the mountain town of Chimney Rock (with the beautiful sight of Lake Lure which you find after riding on a twisty road; a remarkable thing to discover), the ride up NC-29 to Mt. Airy (which is the town which Mayberry was based on), NC-49 or NC-73 to Albemarle where Morrow Mountain is located.
Of course riding in North Carolina, NC-74 will take you to many places; its part of the route in one direction into the mountains, it also was the route I took with friends to Wilmington, NC.
One of the great things about this state is taking a ride "thataway"...to explore new places and things. It is big enough that even after 10 years there is still a lot to see, and many new places to explore. I intend to share many of those places on this blog over the next few months and years.
I hope in the next few months to get to Raleigh (I have yet to be there), explore some new sights in the mountains, to get back to the sea again, and to return to some old favorite places.
Also nearby and a very interesting place to ride, is South Carolina, but I will save that overview for another post. I hope you will enjoy my travels on the roads of the Carolinas, and will find something in them that will interest you.

Bike Nights in America

Actually, this has been one of the most popular photos I have ever taken (according to my statistics at Flickr) where my photos live (under Carolinabiker btw). I took this in 2007 at Bike Night at Quaker Steak and Lube in Concord, NC. Bike Nights are a great time; usually places have specials on food and beverages, often there is a band, and usually a good crowd on hand. Some bike nights are "brand specific", others as is Quaker Steak cover a wide range of motorcycles. Not uncommon to see cruisers, sport bikes, customs (of all types), even dirt bikes, and dirt/street models. Its even not unknown to see some old models of motorcycles that you have not seen for years. Bike Nights can be a good way to find out about different models, types, and brands of motorcycles. There is a lot of different ways to check out motorcycles, asking those who ride them is one of the best I feel. At Bike Nights you can skip the sales pitch, and get down to the basics of riding and ownership with those who know them best; the riders.

Usually finding a bike night is easy. Check with local bike shops, area gathering places, heck....its not uncommon to come across them when you are out. Stop in and see what they have to offer, at the very least it should be a really good time.

So you want to ride? (Part 1)

I am writing this article to give new riders some idea of what it is to ride and own motorcycles. One of the first things the new rider should keep always in mind, is that motorcycling is dangerous. It is a great deal of fun, it is the closest you can get to flying without leaving the ground, and it does give you a feeling of oneness with your surroundings. If it was not a great deal of fun, millions would not do it...but it is also a very quick way to be seriously hurt or killed. So the first order of business in getting a bike, is to get some safety training. You can usually find that training via your local dealer, or at a local community college. The training could well save your life in your riding career, it also can shorten the time it takes to get your motorcycle license, can save you money on your insurance, and raise your confidence on the road. Cars have a steel shell, airbags, and crumple zones; on a motorcycle you have whatever protective equipment you have on, and training.
Second; you need to take a look at the various types of motorcycles. While they have two wheels, they are different in many ways, and do different things. If you are looking to ride to commute to work, understand that bigger engines use more fuel. Some motorcycles do not get as good of mileage as some cars. Some motorcycles also require you to use super premium fuel. Chains and sprockets can be expensive, many motorcycles require valve adjustments (some with hydraulic lifters do not), and all of them use tires that you will find expensive. Further those tires tend to wear out much faster than car tires. Do some research on what the bike you want will cost you. You also need to check into insurance costs; again rates can vary widely depending on the type of bike you ride.
Other costs to consider are accessories for the bike (such as windshields or saddlebags) which you might want, as well as the previously mentioned protective equipment. For the new rider (in fact I have never ridden without one even when its not required) a good helmet is a wise investment.
A good way to save money on a motorcycle is to keep it maintained. A good way to maintain it, is to do it yourself. Especially during riding season, motorcycle shops can be very busy, and even basic service can take a long time. Getting a good service guide (either a factory guide, or some of the one's published for your bike which you can find at local or on-line booksellers) can get you on the road to being able to do that. If you take the bike to a dealer or repair shop, make sure to keep the work up to date, for your life can depend on that bike being in good condition.
Be looking for the next post in this series, coming soon!

Ride to the Sea (July 1, 2008)

For sure, one of the coolest rides I have been on this year, was the ride to Wilmington, NC. We had been planning that for some time, had been waiting for good weather. Even though we have been in a drought for most of the year, seemed like what rain fell, fell on the weekends. However, on July 1, I got to ride with some fellow transplants from Louisville (who also came down here with the job transfer.They were Bill on his Honda Gold Wing, Ed on his Honda VTX 1300, and myself on the Vulcan 1500. We left from Concord, NC at 7am after a quick breakfast at McDonalds. We went via NC-200 to Monroe, NC, and then down NC-74. The ride on NC-74 was due east, and straight into the sun for much of the morning. However, the weather was perfect, a little cool early on, and clear skies. We made two stops, one a rest stop, the other a fuel stop along the way. There was not a lot to see, and not a lot of towns actually on NC-74. Usually you had to pull off and ride around a mile or so to get to where the gas station was. Perhaps it was the day of the week, or perhaps the high fuel costs, but there were not a lot of cars on the road, which was very nice.


We got into Wilmington around 11pm. First thing we did was follow the signs to the USS North Carolina. This WWII Battleship was really interesting, and we enjoyed checking out the various decks on the ship. It has an amazing history, and unlike many ships in the Carolinas, it never saw post war action. It is basically as it was in World War II. All sorts of guns all over it, and inside the ship was set up as they lived it. We spent around 2.5 hours there, wandering around the decks, and up and down the ladders. Thats Bill standing by the 16 inch guns.


From the North Carolina, we rode to Carolina Beach. Once again traffic was light, and parking was easy at the beach. We had lunch at a local place, sea food was the order of the day. it was pretty good too! The beach was not very crowded but I was told that it got that way in the afternoon. We hung out on the pier there till around 5:30. The beach was really nice, had never been there before, but liked checking it out.Would be a nice place to bring my wife to, not as commercial as Myrtle Beach, kind of reminded me in a way of Folly Beach in Charleston, SC. Bill wanted to get some crabs to take back home, and having a Gold Wing he could do that thanks to that big trunk on the back! Once we had done that, we rolled back to NC-74 and pointed the motorcycles toward home.
The ride back was much the same as the ride there, though this time we rode into the sun which was sinking in the west. We made an early fuel stop, and a dinner stop later on (Thickburgers at Hardee's; not bad really, but quite a messy meal). We did have one problem, Bill and Ed both had only sunglasses, so we stopped at a Wal-Mart and they got some clear goggles. Night riding really brought the bugs out. I had my helmet with the clear face shield, and sunglasses that I could put in my pocket.
We got back around 11pm; a long day in the saddle, and a total of some 430 miles of riding. I have ridden at the sea, but it was a different sea and another time many years ago. Have been to the mountains many times, but this was a real experience, and really enjoyed the day on the motorcycle. Prior to the ride, checked my bike over and had it ready for a long day on the road. That paid off well, as I had zero problems during the ride, as did we all.

Welcome to my Web Page

Hello! I have been an avid motorcyclist for many years, and have ridden a number of bikes in a number of places. I have owned motorcycles in Indiana, Kentucky, Hawaii (during my days in the US Navy) and currently the bike you see at the left in North Carolina (seen here during a ride last year on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a 2005 Vulcan 1500 Classic, which I purchased new in June of 2005.

I have been publishing a riding journal on Yahoo 360 (part of my web page which you can see on this sites "about me" page where the link can be found) which details the adventures we have been on in a number of interesting places.

What I want this site to be is about motorcycling. Motorcycles which catch my eye, the things I have learned over the years about motorcycling, tips and information; all with a Carolina focus. I have lived here for some 10 years now due to a job transfer in 1998, and have found the Carolinas a very interesting place.

I hope that I can give you some items of interest, and that you enjoy this blog as much as I feel I will enjoy creating it.